7 Non – Negotiable Features Your Omnichannel Contact Center Software Needs

The way the world did business had a shift in 2020 till now. It increased the need for new technology such as the cloud, chatbots, live chat, to agents training and many more. Most companies failed to match customer expectations and deliver the experiences customers truly desire. With physical shops closing down and businesses forced to shut down, more companies turn to digital channels like chat, self-help knowledge bases and texting for support. 

While waiting for the current situation to end, omnichannel paved its way into the recent trends forcing brands to innovate and now, making a huge impact by delivering smooth customer experiences in various industries from contact centers to logistics, e-commerce and the healthcare industry.

“In a recent study, only 12% of customers felt like brands actually took action to improve their CX and some 82% of consumers are now comfortable using digital channels to solve their problems, at least sometimes.” – CCW

These consumers are seeking out omnichannel services more often and with nearly three-fourths of consumers expecting consistent service across any and every channel, it means your omnichannel software needs to deliver a seamless experience with every interaction. While working with these trends, changing customer demands and new omnichannel expectations, how can you ensure you have the right software that supports your business needs? We’re walking through seven non-negotiable features your omnichannel software needs, so you can deliver for your customers.

7 Non – Negotiable Features Your Omnichannel Contact Center Software Needs

1. A simplified interface.

More than 80% of companies say their agents have to bounce between more than one system to support their customers. Not only that, contact center leaders say the lack of an integrated agent desktop is their leading productivity challenge.

“The top five challenges are all united by a common theme: agent effort.”

Don’t invest in systems that cause more pain for your agents. When you do, productivity, morale and customer satisfaction suffer. Find an omnichannel software that makes life easier for your team. It should connect context from several platforms into one simple interface. The better your agents are equipped, the more empowered they are to solve real problems, without having to escalate every interaction.

2. Obvious ROI.

Bad service experiences drive up your operational costs. Your omnichannel software should make your business function better. It should drive down key metrics associated with the high agent and productivity costs. Streamlining your operations with an intuitive platform will help your agents spend less time on menial tasks and more time problem-solving the tough stuff.

3. In-line coaching and training.

Does your omnichannel software put coaching and training into your daily workflow? Spoiler alert: your life is easier when it does. As a manager, 70% of your agents’ engagement and experience at work falls on your back. Your agents crave feedback and relevant coaching in-the-moment. There’s a solution. Inline training stops your agents from putting bad behaviors on repeat, turning them into bad habits. An omnichannel platform with built-in coaching tools lets you leave feedback on interactions as you review them. Even better, it gives your agents a way to absorb feedback without stepping out of their queue for intensive training sessions.

4. Seamless transitions between channels.

Piecing together dozens of channels isn’t omnichannel. To serve up the customer experience modern customers expect from every brand, your omnichannel software needs to do more than just support multiple channels. It needs to let your customers (and agents) move from one place to another, without ending the interaction and losing tons of context.

5. Quality and performance management.

Helping your agents improve should be core to your omnichannel software. Look to vendor partners who offer crucial coaching and development tools like scorecards, call recordings and transcriptions, individual agent dashboards and performance tiles. A complete quality and performance management toolset empowers your team with actionable data and context for every coaching moment. And, it gives your agents (and supervisors) visibility into daily performance.

6. Platform integrations.

Disjointed systems plunge your contact center’s revenue-earning potential. Nearly two-thirds of contact center leaders struggle to realize the intended ROI from their contact center because they can’t integrate their systems and channels. Combine the power of your omnichannel contact center software with the other systems you use to support your customers. Open integrations give you the freedom and flexibility to build custom solutions that meet your unique business needs, so you can streamline your entire customer journey.

7. Cloud architecture.

Six months ago, our industry looked at work-at-home as an option. Whether it was cost-prohibitive or thought to be too risky, it just wasn’t the norm. Until it was.

“Now, 35% of the customer experience workforce is expected to work from home by 2023. That’s up from a slim 5% just three years ago, according to Gartner.”

Companies quickly realized the pains of on-premises solutions when they had shift agents to work from home. Now that we’ve lived through the panic shift, it’s time to re-evaluate based on your needs, wants and preferences. If you’re seeking out new omnichannel software, investing in cloud architecture is the low-risk option. You’ll get more flexibility in your day-to-day environments and you’ll strategically support your business continuity plan.

Source: https://www.business2community.com/customer-experience/9-non-negotiable-features-your-omnichannel-contact-center-
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